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OH - Judy Malinowski, 33, set on fire by ex succumbs to injuries, 27 June 2017

An Ohio woman who suffered horrific burns across her entire body when her ex-boyfriend doused her in gasoline and set her on fire has died from her injuries, two years after the vicious attack.

Judy Malinowski, 33, died Tuesday after fighting to hold on for her two daughters, countless other loved ones and to see changes made to the law that allowed her attacker to get just 11 years in prison, her family said.

[...]

This Tuesday, Judy’s Law, formally known as Sub H.B. 63, unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and is now headed to the Senate floor for a vote as soon as Wednesday.

Judy Malinowski, a 33-year-old*Ohio*mother of two burned by her ex-boyfriend two years ago, has died, her family said. Malinowski’s tragic story has inspired Ohio legislators to propose a bill that would make punishments for intentional disfigurement even tougher. Meanwhile, prosecutors are considering charging the ex-boyfriend, Michael Slager, for aggravated murder.

Malinowksi was burned by Slager in August 2015, outside of a Gahanna, Ohio gas station after the two got into a fight. Since then, she has been hospitalized and underwent 59 surgeries. Slager agreed to plead guilty to charges and is serving an 11-year sentence.

She had two daughters, including 13-year-old Kaylyn Malinowski. Just last week, she testified before a State Senate committee to support “Judy’s Law.”

“While he got 11 years, my mom, my sister and I all got a life sentence,” Kaylyn said,*reports NBC4i. “While we stand here today, my mom lays in a hospital bed where she has been for 689 days.”

Here’s what you need to know about Malinowski’s story.

1. Michael Slager Was Only Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Burning Malinowski

Malinowski was burned in August 2015 after an argument with the 42-year-old Slager, a witness told authorities.*The Associated Press reports*that the witness called 911 and saw Malinowksi being set on fire. The witness said the suspect used a fire extinguisher to stop the flames. Police said Slager himself suffered minor burns.

Slager’s attorney initially called the incident a “horrible accident,” the AP reports. He was charged with felonious assault and aggravated arson.

In December 2016, Slager pleaded no contest and received a max sentence,*People Magazine reported at the time. The maximum sentence for his crimes was 11 years.

In the case had gone to trial, Malinowksi was determined to testify against Slager. In December 2016, her mother, Bonnie Bowes,*told the Columbus Dispatch*that she thought her daughter was “holding on” just so she could make it to the trial. Prosecutors even expected Malinowksi to testify via Skype since she was too weak to leave the hospital.

2. Prosecutors Are Now Considering Pressing Murder Charges Against Slager

Before Malinowski’s death, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said he would consider pressing aggravated murder charges against Slager.*NBC4i reports*that his office has now put that in motion.

Back in January,*ABC6 reported*that a judge ruled that Malinowksi could testify against Slager in a murder trial.

Doctors said it was likely that Malinowksi would die because of her injuries, as she had burns on 90 percent of her body. A judge said prosecutors could record testimony from Malinowski’s bedside. Slager could have been there to ask questions himself, but her doctors said that was a bad idea because it could cause stress.

As the Columbus Dispatch notes, Slager and his attorney have continued to claim it was an accident. “Clearly if this was intentional I would never have tried to put the flames out and suffered the burns I did,” Slager wrote to the Dispatch from jail.

Slager’s attorney initially called the incident a “horrible accident,” the AP reports. He was charged with felonious assault and aggravated arson.

90% of her body burned.

how can anyone call this an accident? And he got only 11 years for it? he better get the murder charge.

Inremmeber when thus haopened, but did not realize the poor lady has been in the hospital all this time. her poor young daughters, growing up way too fast to the crazies of the world. I hope they have loving, quality support from the rest of her family. It seems they do.

New People article: http://people.com/crime/judy-malinow...-heroic-fight/Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien says that he is mulling fresh homicide charges against Slager, in light of Judy’s death. But Bowes says she has not heard one way or another if new charges will be filed.Several months ago, though, Judy managed to testify against her attacker via video, thanks to a speaking valve that had been placed over her trachea. The footage could be used against Slager if he is tried for Judy’s murder.“She had to back off her pain medications so she was able to do that,” Bowes says. “It was important to her that she stand up to him in whatever way she could. She said in the video that ‘No human being should hurt like this — not even the devil should feel this kind of pain.'”